Human Limbs

Nazianzenus claims that the Holy Virgin Mary was among the most beautiful and modest: according to Barradius, she possessed beauty and pleasant eyes like no other human being in the world. Her demeanor was modest enough that, as Salmeron attests, even observers among the Jews recommended chastity. The scholar Beza, in his commentary on Solomon's Song, describes the power of beautiful eyes in these words: 'In appearance, beauty surpasses all other parts of the body, providing a pleasing presence that covers all other bodily flaws; whereas, in contrast, if the appearance is ugly, no charm can be found in the whole body.' The eyes take the first place in the face to create a sense of loveliness, particularly to evoke love; these feelings are absorbed through the eyes, penetrating the heart like through open windows. It is further stated in Syrach, 'What someone has in mind is visible in their eyes, whether good or bad.' Therefore, since ancient times, eyes have been called the blood of the heart. Natural scientists, who have carefully studied the shapes and positions of eyes, do not consider large hollow flat eyes to be a good sign. Among people who have large pale eyes, they are often regarded as bold, needy, and deceitful. They also consider rounded large eyes better than flat ones. Rarely will they deceive us.